The ESD 112 communications team and partner school districts were awarded 12 state public relations, marketing, graphic design, social media and website awards – including “Best in Category” Perfect Score– at the 2021 Washington School Public Relations Association’s (WSPRA) awards ceremony.
WSPRA received more than 250 submissions for this year’s program, which recognizes outstanding communication and creative work for school districts and education associations. The awards program is broken into two divisions: districts with more than 10,000 students and districts with fewer than 10,000 students. In addition, the awards program provides valuable feedback from judging communications professionals across the nation.
“Much of our work over the past year focused on our partnership with school districts to meet the ever-changing demands of the COVID-19 pandemic,” explained Monique Dugaw, executive director of the Communications & Public Relations team at ESD 112. “I am so proud of the teamwork of our ESD 112 team and school communications collaborators across the region. Together, we delivered outstanding resources to support schools during an extraordinarily difficult year,” she added.
ESD 112 provides communication services for school districts of all sizes, including many small school districts that would not otherwise have the resources for a communications program. Services include but are not limited to bond and levy communication, district communication, crisis communication, graphic design services, video services, website design and development.
The majority of awards were for projects that were created in collaboration with many of the school districts that ESD 112 supports and works side-by side with on a daily basis.
“I’m truly amazed by how much was accomplished by our Communications Team this year,” said ESD 112 Superintendent Tim Merlino. “They do an outstanding job of delivering personalized services that are tailored to the unique needs of every district.”
“We are grateful to have such strong partnerships with our local school districts,” Dugaw explained. “Our collaborative efforts are what allow us to produce exceptional, award-winning work that we can all be proud of.”
Awards Received
Best in Category – Perfect Score:
- Educational Service District 112 – Communications, PR or Marketing Campaign (enrollment MORE than 10,000)
Best in Category:
- Chimacum School District and ESD 112 (on behalf of the School Communications Collaborative)– Print Newsletter*
- Battle Ground Public Schools and ESD 112 – Annual Report (enrollment MORE than 10,000)
- Battle Ground Public Schools and ESD 112 – Finance (enrollment MORE than 10,000)
Award of Excellence:
- Chimacum School District and ESD 112 (on behalf of the School Communications Collaborative)- Branding/Image Package*
- Washougal School District and ESD 112- Branding/Image Package
- Battle Ground Public Schools and ESD 112- Special Purpose (enrollment MORE than 10,000)
- Kelso School District and ESD 112- Special Purpose Publication (enrollment LESS than 10,000)
- Washougal School District and ESD 112– Special Purpose Publication (enrollment LESS than 10,000)
Award of Merit:
- Pacific Crest Innovation Academy and ESD 112 – Website (enrollment MORE than 10,000)
- Hockinson School District and ESD 112 – Special Purpose (enrollment MORE than 10,000)
Honorable Mention:
- Kalama School District and ESD 112 – Print Newsletter
*This work was completed as part of the School Communications Collaborative, a partnership with other ESD’s to support communications work across ESD borders.
Congratulations to the ESD 112 Communications Team: Monique Dugaw, Heidi Barnes, Melissa Burt, Laura Martin, Nick Shanmac, Amelia Holmes, Allison Klump, Mary Rentzel, Julie Gaetze, and Karl Parker.
Visit WSPRA’s awards page for a complete list of the 2021 WSPRA award recipients.